Melbourne walker



M. WALKER TRACE BUGKLE.

(No Model.)

No. 500,087. Patented June 20, 1893.

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UNITED STATES PATENT @EEi E.

MELBOURNE WALKER, or FLORENCE, CANADA, ASSIGNOR oE ONE-HALF TO WELLINGTON w. BOBIER, oE SAME PLACE.

TRACE-BUCKLE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 500,087, dated June 20, 1893.

Application filed July 25. 1891.

To all whOm it may concern:

Be it known that I, MELBOURNE WALKER, a subject of the Queen of Great Britain, and a resident of Florence, in the Province of Ontario,Oanada, have invented certain new and useful Improvements on Trace-Buckles, of which the following specification, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, forms a full, clear, and exact descriptioni to This invention may be used to secure any straps together, but it relates particularly, to improvements on a device, for securingthe main trace to the hame tug. And it consists of the improved construction, and combinaz 5 tion of parts of the same, as will be hereinafter first fully set forth and described, and then pointed out in the claim, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, wherein-- Figure 1. shows the application of my invention to a portion of the harness, and its position on the horse. Fig. 2. is an enlarged detail plan view of an open rectangular buckle frame. Fig. 3. is a central longitudinal sectional view of the cushion and buckle frame, and an edge view of the buckle tongue, the latter being represented in its forward and outward position, to which it must be adjusted, before the shoulder on said buckle tongue can be engagedwith the recess in the buckle frame or the position to which it must be adjusted to disengage it from the buckle frame. Fig. 4. is an enlarged detail plan View of the buckle tongue, showing main trace attached thereto. Fig. 5. is an enlarged detail plan view of the buckle tongue, frame, and buckle cushion, and the main trace and hame tug or strap.

F, designates an open rectangular buckle framegformed of metal, or other suitable material, in the inner face of the longitudinal bars of which recesses, R, are formed. These recesses may be formed in one side only, but they are preferably formed in the two opposite inner sides of longitudinal bars, as shown in the accompanying drawings.

B, B, designate cross bars, which brace and strengthen the longitudinal bars of the buckle frame, F, which cross bars prevent the longitudinal bars from spreading apart, and are 50 formed convex, on the side adjacent to the horse.

Serial No. 400.706. (N0 model.)

C, designates a cushion of leather, orother suitable material, which is riveted, or otherwise secured to the cross bars, B. This cushion, C, is for the purpose of preventing the horse from being chafed by the metal buckle frame, F. 7

As shown in the accompanying drawings,

'the cushion, O, extends beyond the buckle frame, F; and the cross bars, B, also extend 6o beyond said frame, and are secured to the cushion, U, at this point. This is to prevent the edges of the cushion, 0, beyond the frame,

F, from turning up.

S, designates the back strap; S the belly strap; and, S, the hame tug or strap, which extends from the hames to the buckle frame, F.

T, designates the buckle tongue, provided with the projections or shoulders, P, which are fitted to the recess, R, in the buckle frame, F, or vice versa. The projections, P, may be on the buckle frame, and therecesses,

R, in the buckle tongue, T, if preferred.

A designate prongs, or extended portions, formed on the buckle tongue,'T; these flanges are formed on ,the buckle tongue, so that when the latter is placed in proper position in the buckle frame, F, they will engage with the under side of said buckle frame on two opposite sides, and prevent the projections or shoulders, .P, from falling out of the recesses, R, and the shoulders, F, prevent the buckle tongue from being displaced lengthwise of the buckle frame. The main tug or trace, M, is secured to the buckle tongue, T, and the hame tug or strap, S, is secured to the buckle frame, F. The end of the main trace, M, with the buckle tongue, T, attached, is passed underneath, and up through the central opening near the rear end of the 0 buckle frame, and this portion of the central opening in this end of the buckle frame is made slighly larger, in order to permit the tongue, T, and end of the main trace, M, to pass freely through the opening in this end 5 of the buckle frame. The buckle tongue, T,

and trace, M, are drawn through this buckle frame, until the trace becomes taut, and until the projection or shoulder, P, on the tongue, .4 comes opposite one of the recesses, R. The

trace, M, is then drawn forward until the buckle tongue, T, can be adjusted at about right angles to the buckleframe, F, as shown in Fig. 3, and the flanges, A inserted under,

and the flanges, P, inserted in the recesses,-

R, in the buckle frame. These recesses, R, are of a sufficient size, to permit the end of the tongue, T, and the flanges or extended portions, A to pass through the buckle frame, F, when by adjusting the tongue, T, parallel with the buckle frame, the. flanges, A are projected slightly forward under the frame. This looks and securely holds the projection or shoulder, P, from becoming accidentally displaced, or from falling out of the recess, R, and the projection or shoulder, P, prevents the tongue from moving lengthwise of the buckle frame as before described, and this buckle frame, F, is formed with recesses, 'r', on the under side, to receive the prongs or extended portion,A of the buckle tongue. This would leave the buckle frame, where it comes against the cushion, perfectly level. And if the team were being changed from a wagon to another implement, and the traces were required to be lengthened or shortened, all that would be necessary, would be, to draw the trace slightly forward, and adjust the buckle tongue to the position shown-in Fig. 3, when said tongue could be removed from the recess, R, and then adjusted to another recess backward or forward,to shorten or lengthen the traces as required; and while this could. be readily, easily, and instantly accomplished by the operator, it would be impossible for team or otherwise maneuvering them, be-

main tug isalways sufficiently stiff, to prevent it from accidentally bending forward; the tongue therefore cannot be removed nor fall out of the recess, except the operator shoves it forward and bends it outward from the buckle frame, as shown in Fig. 3, so as to bring the buckle tongue, at about right angles to the buckle frame, as befofe described.

Having thus" described my invention, I claim- In a trace buckle an open rectangular buckle frame, F, formed with the recesses, R, in its adjacent sides and the recesses,,r, in the under side of the'longitudinal bars thereof said buckle frame, being alsoprovided with the cross bars, B, B, to prevent the longitudinal bars from spreading apart, in combinatign with a buckle tongue, T, having prongs, A adapted to engage'with the recesses 'r' in the under side of the longitudinal bars of the buckle frame, to prevent the tongue from falling out'of the buckle frame, and the projections, P, fitted to the recesses, R, in theadjacent faces of the longitudinal bars of the buckle frame,to prevent their disengagement lengthwise, substantially as set forth.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in the presence of the two undersigned witnesses.

MELBOURNE WALKER. Witnesses:

1?. J. EDMUNDS, S. MOBAIN. 

